Hardships during the Battle of Hogwarts
by Moonprincess92
Summary: An article in The Daily Prophet about the hardships and sufferings of the war, is released only a week after the Battle of Hogwarts. :Oneshot The Battle-Centric postDH:


**DISLAIMER: **I don't own The Daily Prophet, the Battle of Hogwarts or articals.

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Hardships during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Blurb …

An article in _The Daily Prophet_ about the hardships and sufferings of the war, is released only a week after the Battle of Hogwarts. :Oneshot The Battle-Centric postDH:

**Note:** All the people who aren't mentioned in the books are made up. I also made up a few ages, as they weren't shown in the books.

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Had a muggle been roaming the Scottish mountains on the night from the 1st - 2nd of May, they would've been increasingly disturbed by the shocking crashes, bangs and flashes of light emitting from Hogwarts castle and grounds.

The inevitable final battle was a cause for celebration and loss for all at the height of the Second War against now deceased, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers. Nearly every person in Brittan has been affected in some way from this war and the final outcome, with some only just starting to feel the aftershocks.

"It's still completely bizarre," says a young fighter from the castle, Jeremy Hinks (14). "I snuck back into the castle to fight. I had no idea what I was in for."

And indeed many young witches and wizards fought tooth and nail to stay behind at the now legendary Battle of Hogwarts. From mere eleven year olds, to the powerful Professors of the famous school, everyone had a part in the battle, now famous for its brutal savagery that killed over 50 people and the final ending of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and of the war itself.

The subsequent war has killed thousands of people over many years, making this the most devastating battle in Wizarding History, all of which comes down to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, who originally rose to power in the 1970's and grew steadily stronger to the height of the First War. It was then of course, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named met his downfall due to then infant, Harry Potter.

Harry Potter (17) and his involvement in the war is of course impossible to ignore. Preferring to ignore all media, he released the statement, "The war was hard on everyone, including me. We've all been strongly affected and had people we were close to taken away from us. It's over now; it's time to rebuild our world." He made this strong statement very clear only a few days after the Battle.

To quote Harry Potter's wise words, a lot of people who took part in the Battle were indeed strongly affected in some way. _The Daily Post_ were allowed a reporter inside the carnage of the partially destroyed castle, exactly one week after the Battle, to record all the stories they could about the fighting and aftermath of the war.

**Savaged by a Werewolf **

"I'll never see the castle in the same way again," Says Lavender Brown (18) as she lies practically immobile in Hogwarts' recently re-established Hospital Wing, which is full of many volunteered helpers to care for the sick and healing patients. "Hogwarts had always been a safe harbour for me. Now all I can imagine is walls falling apart and students being crushed before my very eyes."

Young Lavender had been a Gryffindor member of the school since her First Year, like most of the other students who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her blood-status had allowed her to attend her final year and had likewise fought hard against the Death-Eater's that infiltrated the school.

"Harry - Harry Potter, I mean - was in my class, he sat two rows behind me," Lavender explains. "I was close to him and his friends. When they left, I knew it was time to step up. I lived in a bubble world - I liked to ignore what was happening around me in hopes that it wouldn't affect me."

And it was this naivety, Lavender admits, that was her fault over the past suffering year.

"I was basically tortured by one of the Carrow's - I forget which," Lavender says. "That was during the first term. It was then I realised that I needed to stop living in a fantasy world where everything was fine. So I did."

And indeed, Lavender helped spur on the 'DA', the full name of which is 'Dumbledore's Army' - a student organised, anti-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named society, named after the late beloved headmaster of the castle, Albus Dumbledore. With help from her friends, Lavender continued in her own fight against the war.

So of course when the Battle arrived, Lavender stayed to fight. She didn't count however, on the notoriously savage werewolf, Fenrir Greyback being on the Dark Side. She was fighting in the Entrance Hall of the castle, when thrown back off a balcony and attacked by the werewolf.

"It was all a blur … I remember falling and the pain of landing … then this great thing just came at me, and I remember seeing blood. Either I was completely numb at that point or just had a very low pain tolerance, because I couldn't feel my face being ripped at all … but then he was gone and hell I could feel it then …"

Lavender was saved by none other than Hermione Granger (18) - now known for her role at Harry Potter's side during the war and help to rebuild the shattered Wizarding World. Lavender had been shocked at the identity of her saviour.

"I have to admit, Hermione and I never really got on in previous years," Lavender says, her now forever scared face turned into a grimace. "Maybe that had something to do with the fact that I got off with the guy she was practically in love with … but despite that, she saved me. She blasted that werewolf off me and I'll be forever grateful for that. I may have scars, but I know Hermione stopped them from being a lot worse."

And now Lavender is among a couple hundred wizards who were also savaged by the werewolf - all unique cases, as Greyback had been untransformed at the time. There has been only one other case the same before this, Bill Weasley (28) who also gained scars last year due to Fenrir Greyback.

"I talked to Bill," Lavender says. "And I may experience side effects, like he now likes this very rare steak …"

Lavender, while once a shallow and petty girl, admits she's changed since the war.

"In a way, it's helped me find myself," She admits, smiling despite her scars. "My face will always be a reminder that beauty isn't important. I used to think that the way I looked was above all other worries. The war helped me see that I was clearly wrong."

**A Strong Professor **

Our reporter travels deeper into Hogwarts castle where evidence of the battle still mangle staircases and corridors, and in the case of the first floor, remove the floor altogether.

It's amongst this carnage that Professor Minerva McGonagall (73) continues work against, to help restore the castle walls. A tireless member of the Order of the Phoenix, Minerva constantly fought against the battles of the war, including those within the walls of her beloved school.

Transfiguration Professor, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress, Minerva is no stranger to rules and regulations. That however, had to change once the school year started in September, 1997.

"I knew the school was being taken over, and very stealthily I might add," Minerva says with her usual stern and decisive attitude. "And I knew that I had to protect the students of Hogwarts, no matter what the cost. I admit, I got hit with the Cruciatus Curse once or twice, but I did also attend a DA meeting. I never knew Longbottom had it in him, but I am increasingly proud of his, and all the rest of the students' achievements."

It was with this manner that Minerva tackled the war within the castle walls over the past school year. "I took no nonsense from anyone," She says. "And I treated everyone as normally as I could. Though teaching First Year's defensive spells made for Seventh Year's was a bit of a stretch on the take 'normal', I tried my best."

Minerva has obviously seen many battles over her time and as such, has become a highly accomplish duellist, her skills of which were useful to her and others during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Minerva's story continues on through the battle, where she fought and won against many Death Eaters, even fighting up against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself. "It was three against one, and we were still losing," Minerva says with a shudder. "It wasn't until Harry [Potter] turned up … we probably would've died if it weren't for him."

And death wasn't uncommon for many of the fighters during the battle. At least 55 people died during the battle, including many past and present students that Minerva had taught. Among these included the late Fred Weasley (20) who Minerva remembers quite plainly, along with his survivor twin brother, George Weasley (20). "Oh those two were trouble makers all right," Minerva states, smiling despite the tears in her eyes. "One without the other simply isn't right. I put young Fred in detention for Merlin knows how many times. But he was one of the most remarkable and amusing people I knew. I will miss him terribly."

And indeed, there were many other students of Minerva's that met the same fate, including Sally Perkins (16), Henry Beatie (12), and Harley Silverman (21).

"All those people dead, and so many under the age of 25," Minerva says sadly. "It's a complete disaster, and I hope to never have to see any of my students die before me again."

Minerva McGonagall is stated to receive an Order of Merlin, Second Class for her involvement in the war, a high honour for an amazing and highly praised Professor. "She saved me," Says Jasmine Polk (13). "I couldn't fight this Death Eater off, but Professor McGonagall came flying out of no where and stunned him before I could blink! I'll always be thankful for that."

And many other fighters from the battle had things to say about the Professor. "She fought like a chimera," says Thomas Fairview (34). "I've seen a lot of good fighters, but no one stood a chance against her."

Penny Quirke also agreed, saying, "She saved countless lives, including mine. Merlin help any Death Eater who crossed her."

And it was one of the newly recruited leaders of the DA, Neville Longbottom (17) who said, and "Professor McGonagall believed in all of us. She fought with us, and she was amazing."

It is indeed no wonder why Minerva is receiving that Order of Merlin.

**A Shock Survival **

When young Nancy Andersen (15) snuck back into the castle to fight in the battle, she had no idea what horrors she was about to witness. Along with her sister and brother who had also attended Hogwarts, Eleanor Andersen (14) and Randal Andersen (12), Nancy had fought her way through the battle, becoming a part of the team that headed off Death Eaters and things of the like, out in the grounds during the beginning of the battle, the party that had been lead by the now late Remus Lupin (38).

However, she had been separated from her siblings during the fighting.

"I had no idea where they were," Nancy says from the Great Hall, huddled with Eleanor and Randle, awaiting their parents' arrival from in hiding. "One second they were next to me, and the next … it was like they disappeared. For a moment, I thought the worst and figured they must be dead. Then I heard Elly scream - I would know her scream anywhere - and I knew at least she was alive."

"I had my ankle broken," Eleanor explains. "And I was about to be finished off by some Death Eater. It was Randy who saved me."

However, the three Andersen children's fight was far from over. Desperate to find her brother and sister, Nancy had given up fighting to search, knowing her parents had left her in charge of looking after her family. "Our Dad was very anti-You-Know-Who at the Ministry, and Mum was a Muggle-Born. Technically, we're half bloods and that's why we were even allowed back into the castle. But they went into hiding almost immediately after school started and left me in charge. I knew I was responsible for whatever happened to Elly and Randy."

Eleanor and her brother had been driven back into the castle and their world came crashing down - almost literally - when the First Floor collapsed right underneath them. This was one of the greatest tragedy's of the castle's damage during the battle, making them along with the 34 others who fell through the stone and concrete to the dungeons below.

"It was like being punched over and over again, only much worse," Says Randle. "Obviously the rocks were hard and they didn't make a very nice landing. I was one of the lucky ones - there was one huge rock coming straight for me, right after I landed on the floor. It missed my head by inches, but the man next to me wasn't so lucky - it got him straight in the neck. He was dead by the time Elly had landed," Randle stops to give a shudder. "I'd never seen a person die before and now this man's blood was all over me. I don't even know his name."

"I landed on top of Randle," Eleanor says. "There was screaming and shouting, bangs and flashes of light … I was semi-conscious and I didn't really know what was happening at all. Randle was completely out of it, and that freaked me out."

The fall left two of the Andersen children with many scars, yet their efforts to stay alive were even more daunting. Surrounded by severally injured and dead people and the staircase back to the Entrance Hall blocked, Eleanor and Randle had to make do to help themselves and the others on their side survive.

"Most that went down were Death Eaters and they all died," Randle says. "Or if they didn't, they were in too much pain to do anything else. But the ones on our side, they were in a bad way. About six were already dead."

It was the children's cool and rational thinking that allowed them to survive. "We tore and engorged clothes to make bandages, closed up gashes, that sort of thing," Randle explains. "We were taught basic healing during DA meetings. Somehow, we managed to keep a cool head."

It wasn't until sometime later that they were finally found and rescued, by one of the co-leaders of the DA, Luna Lovegood (16). Luna had previously been fighting dementors out in the grounds, before returning to the castle to help.

"I heard a lot of screaming," Luna says dreamily as our reporter invites her over with the Andersen children. "And the proper thing to do was to help them, so I helped Eleanor and Randle levitate the rubble away and the people out of the hole."

With Luna's help, Eleanor and Randle managed to get the six bodies and the fourteen others into the Great Hall where the Hogwarts Matron, Madam Poppy Pomfrey (56) looked after the many accumulating injuries.

But it was Luna's help that Eleanor and Randle insist kept them alive.

"If she had come only a few minutes later, a lot more people would've been dead," Randle says. "And Elly and I probably wouldn't have survived either. We thank Luna with all our hearts."

Nancy was finally reunited with her two siblings after the final confrontation between He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Harry Potter. Increasingly distressed and thinking her siblings to be dead, she found them during the chaos that followed the battle, instantly becoming overcome with delight.

"I saw them gashed and covered in blood, but they were still alive. I simply burst into tears," Nancy says, gripping her brother and sister tighter. "And I have Luna to thank for that."

Luna, whose father Xenophilius Lovegood (42) was imprisoned for his strong belief in Harry Potter portrayed through the magazine, _The Quibbler_, takes all the thanks in her stride, claiming that anyone would have done it. "I suspect there were those who did wish to help, but were otherwise preoccupied in the fighting," Luna says. "I know for a fact that one of my friends would have helped them, such as Neville - you know, at Christmas time he walked straight into a clump of Nargles? The poor thing's brain was useless for weeks …"

And so are the modest words of the eccentric fighter, the now hero of the three Andersen children.

**A Battle in History**

55 people on the side of the Order of the Phoenix had died that night of the Battle and many more bodies had been found during the aftershocks of the war. It's impossible to say exactly how many people died during the entire war, but it can be assured there were thousands whose lives were taken.

The Battle changed many lives of the fighters, including the young and the old. Mary Lions (45) says, "I came late with my entire family. No one wanted to be left behind. My youngest child is only 17, yet he still fought. My daughter Annie was killed. I can still remember her scream …"

"It was like an eruption," Says Daniel Prendergast (19) as he remembers the final confrontation between He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Harry Potter. "There was so much light, and then You-Know-Who was just … dead. I didn't know what to think. I then thought he couldn't possibly die and that he was going to jump up any second and say he was just tricking. Needless to say, I'm glad I was wrong."

"I know I wasn't supposed to fight," Says Gracie Lyall (11). "But my friend, Louis stayed behind, and I wanted to stay with him. We made it, but it was really hard. I saw one of my dorm mates get killed by that werewolf."

"It was horrible." Adds Louis McKay (11).

However, despite the destruction of the castle and horror of the Battle, there were the positive outcomes, the biggest of which was of course the final downfall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and the subsequent ending of the war.

"He's gone!" Peter Fisher (61) cries happily, surrounded by his friends and family who survived. "He's gone and never coming back!"

"We're free now," Says Patricia Howe as she comforts a friend's loss. "They may be gone, but we can live in a free world and we know they didn't die for nothing."

"Does this mean exams are cancelled?" Jokes Amanda Owe (15) as she and her friends celebrate.

"Despite everything, we got through it," Agrees Amanda's friend, Alice West (16). "That's worth something, right?"

And indeed, the Battle of Hogwarts was worth something: while potentially the most destructive of all Battles during the war and causing the deaths of many people who will be mourned for years to come, it was also the spark of a new era - a free era. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (whose body was eventually agreed to be burned) is now gone from the Wizarding World, allowing the witches and wizards to rebuild our society, all thanks to the brave and loyal fighters of the Battle of Hogwarts.

-Fin.

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A/N: I was reading an artical about the Australian Bush Fires in Victoria, and reading the many survivor stories in a Women's Day magazine when i was hit with this idea. I started writing and finished this within a few hours, it was that much fun to write.

Ok, so while horribly depressing at some points, i really enjoyed writing it! The style was different to me, so that was cool too.

Also, this story i dedicated to my good friend, **Katapus**. Katie, remember while your problems may have been bad (ha, problems, remember?) they weren't as bad as what these guys in the war had to go through - this one's for you!

So the Moon Magic lives on though my 70th story. I hope you all liked it!

Remember that reviews are always appreciated!

Until next time-

-Moon. : D


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